


His Rebel in the Bedroom

by Liadt



Category: Blake's 7
Genre: Community: unconventionalcourtship, F/M, Post Gauda Prime, Post-Canon, References to past illness and after effects
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-06-10 16:51:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6965128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liadt/pseuds/Liadt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr Bellfriar is pleasantly surprised to find a strange female in his  hotel room wearing a bath towel! He isn't interested in Soolin's sob story. He's late for a party and she'll be perfect as his ready-made date!</p><p>Soolin's completely bewildered.... She thought pretending to be a loving couple would be easy, but the chemistry between her and Bellfriar is explosive! She's also left with no doubt that what Bellfriar wants, he gets, and it seems he wants her — badly...</p>
            </blockquote>





	His Rebel in the Bedroom

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Unconventional Courtship 2016.

“When I get back, I’m going to kill you, Vila,” vowed Soolin.

Vila’s voice crackled through Soolin’s teleport bracelet. “Don’t blame me for the new teleport’s teething troubles. You aren’t far from the hotel complex.”

“Shame about the huge, electrified fence in the way.”

“The fence is there to keep out the vicious, man-eating animals of Bihaonda. You can easily bypass it.”

“How? Humans and ten thousand volts don’t mix.” Soolin could hear the muffled sounds of Avon and Vila talking.

“Avon asks if you’re near a river bank,” said Vila.

“I’m standing right on top of it.”

“Can you see a large, overflow pipe?”

Soolin looked up and down the bank, peering past the lush, tropical vegetation. “Yes.” She walked over to the pipe. As she got nearer there was a definite smell coming from the pipe and the effluent pouring out of it confirmed her suspicions. “You’ve got to be joking. I’m not swimming through that. Teleport me back up and put me down on the other side of the fence.”

“Sorry, I can’t. The readings say you should be inside the hotel where Doctor Bellfriar is staying.”

“If Avon spent less time hanging around his favourite, glorious leader - he doesn’t want to be lead by - and checked the teleport was installed properly, I'm sure I would be. I know Avon feels bad about shooting Blake, but it’s time to move on.”

“He can hear you.”

“Good.”

“If you go through the sewer it will bring you out in the hotel grounds. You won’t need to dodge guards to get to the medical conference. I’d be grateful, things could have been worse.” Vila broke off contact before Soolin could communicate her, expletive littered, gratitude.

****

In Doctor Bellfriar’s hotel bathroom, Soolin dumped her clothes on the floor and put her gun and teleport bracelets by the cream, marble sink. Swapping her ruined clothes for a cleaner’s outfit hadn’t made her smell any sweeter. Normally, she would never stop to have a shower on a mission, but persuading Bellfriar to aid Blake’s new rebel army (if their little group allied with other anti-Federation groups could count as an army) would be difficult if she kept retching from the smell of sewage. Blake said Bellfriar was level-headed and unlikely to call up security the minute he found a stranger in his room. That made her less nervous about not having a gun to hand. 

Soolin waved her hand in front of the shower’s control panel and then gathered up all the toiletries on the side of the sink. They were a mix of inoffensively scented, complementary shampoos and musky, masculine smelling products that presumably belonged to Bellfriar. The stronger the better, she thought, as she plonked them on the edge of the shower. She then picked up a big bottle without a label. The bottle’s contents smelt like disinfectant, but, when it came down to it, she would rather smell like a clean toilet than a cesspit.

When the water ran clear down the plughole, Soolin was satisfied she was clean again. There was no point in staying any longer in the shower than necessary. She stepped out and reached for a towel. She was just wrapping it around herself when the door slid open to reveal a man. He was dressed in white apart from a long, black waistcoat.

“Well, this is a pleasant surprise,” said the man. His manner was calm, although his eyes had widened in shock. “Apart from the gun: that’s not very friendly.” He picked up her gun and bracelets.

Soolin cursed herself. She had been desperate to be clean. “Are you Doctor Bellfriar? You look different to the newscasts.” She scrutinised the man closely. Orac had found archive videocasts of Bellfriar in hospital, after surviving the plague on Fosforon. In the footage, Bellfriar was wizened and his face bandaged. She knew one of the symptoms of the virus was blistered skin. The man in front of her had marks on the left side of his face that could be scars left by blisters. She decided he was a recovered Bellfriar.

“The last time I was on a newscast I was very ill.”

“You look better now.” And he did, distinguished, as Dayna would have said, before she had given up crushes on older men for Tarrant. 

“Thank you,” he said politely. “Now if you could be so kind and go into the bedroom. I don’t want to question you in here.”

Bellfriar backed out in the main suite, followed by Soolin. The room was a decent size, ideal for a short stay and the furnishings were new. Soolin wondered if she should sit on the bed or stay standing. She remained standing. Bellfriar may have her gun, but it didn’t mean she would let him have the upper hand. Pity the door was behind him and a balcony with a three-storey drop was behind her. She folded her arms across her chest and dripped defiantly.

“Now who are you and why are you here? These bracelets aren’t fashion accessories are they - a communication device?”

“I’m Soolin. Blake sent me to talk to you and they’re teleport bracelets.”

“I thought they were similar to the one Blake wore.” Bellfriar moved over to a safe in the wall and, with half an eye on Soolin, put the bracelets in it. “Why didn’t Blake come himself?”

“Blake’s too well known. He couldn’t have made his way to the hotel unnoticed - the Federation are on the alert for him. The raid on Ghinci 6 won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Blake needs your help.”

“Why me in particular?”

“You’re a virologist. On the planet Degei the native population are, were, mounting a resistance against their Federation overlords. They’re now fighting off a virus manufactured by your fellow virologists to subdue them.”

“They are no fellows of mine. My research seeks to cure not kill. I don’t see what you need me for; there are other virologists whose knowledge is more up to date than mine. I’m too busy keeping on top of paperwork to keep up with current developments. Other than the failure of Pylene-50 as a pacification agent that is.”

“Blake considered you to be the friendly option and would give our cause a fair hearing.”

“He couldn’t have that much faith in me by sending in one of his people armed. If I was unreceptive, would you have pointed your gun and kidnapped me?”

“Blake prefers mutual cooperation and the gun isn’t for your benefit. It’s my trade.”

“A gunslinger?”

Soolin nodded.

“And you can’t bear to be parted from your weapon? I’m sorry for the oppressed natives, but I have a party to attend. What’s more, I’m starting to run late. I don’t need the added complication of dealing with a rebel in my bedroom. You have two options: go to the party with me, as my girlfriend, or I’ll call up Federation security and let them deal with you. This isn’t a conference for virologists, there are attendees covering the whole spectrum of the medical profession. The authorities may ask the guests if there’s anything new, unpleasant and final they would like to trial on you.”

Was he trying to scare her? If he was, it wasn’t working, not after claiming he was into saving lives. It didn’t suit him anyway. “Death or plus one? That’s an odd choice.”

“A departure from shag or die I admit.”

“If you slept with me you’d be the dead one.”

Bellfriar chuckled. “I don’t doubt it. I’m surprised seeing you naked in the shower didn’t finish me off.”

Soolin frowned - she hadn’t expected a good-humoured reaction. “I wasn’t naked. I had a towel on.”

“But for a spilt second you didn’t. Are you going to be my girlfriend or do I call security?” Bellfriar held his hand over the room’s intercom.

“Your girlfriend.”

“That’s a relief.” Bellfriar depressed the intercom button. “Reception?”

“Speaking, how can I help?” said a female voice, from a speaker.

“Hello, this is Professor Bellfriar, in Room 3618. Do you have any women’s wear I can buy? I need an evening outfit for a female friend of mine, including footwear.”

“Yes, Professor, we have a wide selection.”

“Can you send up some samples to my room? The woman in question is young, slender and of medium height. Do you have anything that would fit?”

“If the lady is with you, I can send up a dressmaker, with a selection of outfits. She can make any minor alterations.”

“That would be great, thank you.” Bellfriar took his palm off the intercom. Then he put his hand back on it. “Reception?”

“Speaking-”

Bellfriar broke in, “This is Professor Bellfriar, again. Do you sell perfume?”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Send up something feminine: light, yet strong enough to cut through any other smells.”

“Yes, Professor. Anything else?”

“No, thank you.” 

“You should have gone into writing advertising copy and I don’t smell,” said Soolin.

“That’s debateable. I’ve never been a fan of the smell of bleach.”

“And you’re not a doctor anymore.”

“Didn’t you see the hospital spacecast where I was awarded my professorship and appointed head of the medical facility on the planet Ohadre? I suppose Blake didn’t want you to hear the report detailing how the plague was the rebels’ fault. I can’t say I did. After the camera crew had left, I was wheeled off for a scan to assess if I had suffered permanent brain damage. I wasn’t left so confused as to forget a scan doesn’t consist of questions about rebels and considerable pain. The doctors claimed I was over-sensitive.” Bellfriar gave a grim smile. “My brain was still scrambled and they found nothing useful. Not there was much to tell, except what I saw of Blake I liked. He was a decent man. He didn’t have to warn us. I must have kept my views hidden as I wasn’t sent to the slave pits.”

“It seems you’re trying to tell me you’re not the Federation’s biggest fan, yet you haven’t jumped at the chance to leave with me.”

“My views may not be in sync with the Federation’s, but I’m not a threat to them and if I continue to be, they won’t bother me. I wish I could help you with an anti-serum. Unfortunately, the Federation disapproves of sabbaticals spent with rebels.”

“How do you know they won’t bother you? They might want to question you again, now you’re recovered.” 

Bellfriar was amused. “The interrogators wouldn’t discover anymore than last time. If they could I’d seek one out.” He took a datapad off the dressing table, opened a computer file and threw it over on to the bed. Soolin picked it up. On the screen was a detailed itinerary for the day.

“It’ll start bleeping and flashing in a minute, if you don’t swipe it off,” advised Bellfriar. “I used to joke about absent minded scientists, but I am one now. The illness made me worse at what I was already weak at. I forget to do things unless I’ve scheduled it.”

“I don’t think that would put them off. The anti-Federation alliance is growing in strength and the Federation know it. Any dissent is making them jumpy.” Soolin felt like a politician saying that, but she was determined to win Bellfriar round or, at least, let her go. She didn’t believe in wasting time, especially with Scorpio II orbiting a Federation planet. 

“The Federation prefer to keep me subtly in line. I have had trouble with my assistants. Security would arrive every so often and take them away. They wouldn’t tell me why or what happened to them. I suspect nothing terrible happened and they were sent somewhere else to work. By keeping me in the dark, it was their gentle way of giving me a warning of what would happen if I took an interest in anything other than my work. That stopped years ago, until recently. I was preparing to come here for the conference when my assistant was taken away. I don’t think that’s a co-incidence with Blake coming out of the woodwork. And it’s why I need you as my partner for the party.” 

“You were going out with your assistant?” Soolin felt sorry for him.

“No, but I assume as a firearms expert you haven’t studied medicine.”

“Correct.”

“I can’t teach you enough between here and the conference hall to fool a room of doctors, so I’m afraid you’ll have to be my partner. Don’t worry, there’s no need to be all over me. I’m sure they’ll assume I’ve paid for your services. An attractive girl wouldn’t want to hang around a worn out academic.”

“It’s fortunate I’m not the type to drape myself over a man then.” If Soolin was interested in massaging the male ego, she would have told him she could imagine an attractive girl going out with him. The sort that preferred men who were intelligent and seemed decent. Almost decent: valuing a party over helping innocent workers didn’t rate highly with her, although she did like his solution to sorting out his lack of a plus one. 

“I need you as my date tonight, Soolin. I want to impress Pheanea, the Director of The Federation Medical Council in Sector 7. I’ve noticed younger, more confident people have greater success in impressing her.”

“You’re confident.”

“There’s confident and then there’s Pheanea’s kind of shark. An attractive companion could do the trick. She has an exceptionally good looking entourage.”

There was a knock at the door. “Professor Bellfriar, I’ve come with some dresses for your guest.”

“Just a minute,” called Bellfriar, backing to the door. He shoved the gun into a pocket of his waistcoat and opened the door. In the hallway was the dressmaker. She was a thin, middle-aged woman and carried an armful of shopping bags and a sewing box. 

“Good evening,” said Bellfriar. “Here’s the lady in question.”

“Evening, sir.” The woman then turned her attention to Soolin. “Hello, madam, I see you are eager to change.”

Soolin gave her a tight smile as a greeting.

“We’re running late, give her what you think will fit best.”

The dressmaker held an orange, silk dress against Soolin. “I think this will flatter your figure, although the colour is a little draining, maybe,--”

Bellfriar interrupted her. “It looks fine. You can change in the bathroom, but leave the door open a crack.” 

Soolin went into the bathroom, along with the dressmaker. The dress had a series of complicated lacings up the back. The lacing would ensure a decent fit without resorting to any tailoring. Soolin was relieved to exchange the bath towel for the dress. The gown wasn’t to her taste, but it gave her more freedom of movement than the towel. 

As Soolin stepped into the dress, Bellfriar talked. “The party we’re going to isn’t a party, well, it is, but not for us. There’s a bar, buffet and entertainment. If you can call demos put on by local graduates entertainment. They hope to cause a splash with those high up in the Medical Council. Pheanea has come to the conference to do some talent spotting and I’ve managed to wangle a meeting with her. She ran out of time to meet me yesterday and one of her aides promised she would talk to me during the party.”

“Pheanea won’t be able to give you much of a hearing during a party, you’re wasting your time,” said Soolin bored, as the dressmaker threaded the lacings. If she was to be an ornament, she would like it to be for a better reason than currying favour with someone high up in the Federation.

“It’s time I have to waste. I’ve come to campaign for resources for my hospital. The majority of the population on Ohadre are workers in the seradeh industry. The chemicals used to produce seradeh leads to various unpleasant conditions. The effects of seradeh poisoning, before it reaches the third stage, can be reversed. However, the treatment is a complex process. To alleviate the suffering my medical centre needs extra resources. Our appeals are ignored in favour of spa planets’ plastic surgery units. This has gone on long enough, one way or another, I’m going to get Pheanea’s official approval.”

Ah, why didn’t you say? thought Soolin. Pretending to be his girlfriend wouldn’t be that hard after all. She whispered to the dressmaker, “Have you something I can put my hair up with?” The woman drew some ribbons out of her sewing box. Soolin picked a hairbrush off the side, scraped her hair into a ponytail and tied a ribbon around it. Simple, but it would have to do, she thought. Deciding she was ready, she opened the door and came in wearing her evening gown. As well as a long thigh slit, the sleeveless dress was low cut, with diamond shaped panels cut out from either side of the waist. 

“Very … impressive,” managed Bellfriar. Soolin’s dress left little to the imagination. 

“How a full length dress exposes me more than a bathroom towel? I’m glad you noticed.”

“There are other dresses.” Bellfriar gestured at other garments on the bed. “Isn’t that a shawl?” He picked the item up and unfolded it. It turned out to be a micro-dress.

“You’re already late for the party - I’ll stick with what I’m wearing, although the colour isn’t what I would have chosen.” She appreciated the offer, but the clothes weren’t improving. 

“Whoever made the dress couldn’t have liked the colour either, judging by the material they’ve cut out.”

Soolin gave an amused smile. “I’m impressed with your outfit too.”

Bellfriar had changed his black waistcoat for a blue one.

“It’s an amazing transformation isn’t it? I can’t remember if I’ve worn it this week, but it’ll do.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me you had come here to help workers suffering from the effects of a terrible disease?”

“Isn’t that the only reason to come to Bihaonda?” said Bellfriar, dryly. 

There was a loud knocking at the door. “Hey! Bellfriar, it’s me, Dreyer,” shouted a male voice.

“On your datapad it was written not to talk to Dreyer in capitals. Do you suspect him of something?”

“Only of being very boring and borish. Quite why I thought I’d forget that… ,” said Bellfriar, with a wince. “We’d better be off.” He put out his arm for her. 

Soolin hesitated and frowned: was this to stop her running off?

“Where I was brought up partners often link arms,” he said patiently.

“I know that.” Soolin reflected she wouldn’t if her parents had died when she was too young to remember them. She put her arm through his and considered how hanging out with people with a cause was getting to be a bad habit.

****

The party was in a hall with a high vaulted ceiling and narrow windows. At the far end, a band was playing music, but no one had hit the dance floor. Those that weren’t gathered around the tables set up for the graduates were picking at the buffet. On the opposite side of the hall to the buffet was a bar. The younger people at the bar were divided in to two types: the jubilant ones and quieter ones, who were drowning their sorrows after failing to impress. 

“Pheanea is over there.” Bellfriar pointed with his free arm. 

Soolin look over at a group of six. There were two men, with high collars, talking to a bored looking woman. She wore a dark green, satin dress. Her purple hair was braided and to Soolin they looked like snakes coiled about her head. They way she was the centre of attention suggested she was the Medical Council Director. Two men and a woman carrying datapads flanked her. They were young, easy on the eye and wore the latest fashions.

“What do we do - stand and wait?” asked Soolin.

“We can go to the buffet, if you’re hungry, or, if you’d prefer, we can see what the graduates are keen to show off. The demonstrations can be quite fun - sometimes. Pheanea has her faults, but she will see everyone in the end.”

“I’d like to look at the demos.” Soolin wasn’t hungry and there was the chance she could learn something useful. 

Although a machine that could make bacteria into pretty patterns wasn’t it, thought Soolin, a few demos later. 

“You’re not interested in this, are you?” said Bellfriar. 

“No, but you are. Not the silly displays to raise a smile, but the science behind it.”

“It reminds me of my days as a research scientist,” said Bellfriar, sounding wistful.

“Why not leave with me then - isn’t an artificial virus sufficiently interesting?”

“More than interesting: fascinating.”

“I understand you want to help the workers, but don’t you have staff who can take over?”

“I have several, however; being the lone survivor of the plague of Fosforon does open doors, or it did.”

“Missing fame?”

“Oh no, I like it far better when I can stay in the background.”

“Me too. We have something in common.”

“Excuse me, lady,” said an over-friendly, male voice into Soolin’s ear.

Soolin sighed. The best thing about viewing the displays was the company. Bellfriar listened to her like he was genuinely listening and not like he was planning the next witty remark. When she asked him to explain something she didn’t understand, he talked to her as an equal, when he got the chance that was. Her revealing dress had attracted the attention of quite a few. Her new fans couldn’t help cutting in and trying to impress her with their knowledge, whilst simultaneously patronising her. If it wasn’t for the sake of Bellfriar and Blake’s projects she wouldn’t have smiled sweetly back at her annoying admirers. She missed her gun. She noticed Bellfriar’s irritation at the interruption and they exchanged the exasperated glances of those obliged to be polite. 

Soolin turned to the source of the voice. He was a round faced, young man. “Could you assist me in my demonstration, sweet one?”

Soolin suppressed a laugh - he sounded like Vila setting up a con trick. She glanced at Bellfriar.

“I’m not stopping you if you want to be dragged into the world of experimental science,” said Bellfriar and extracted his arm from hers. 

Soolin realised that she had been quite happy holding on to his arm and resented its removal. She hoped her feelings wouldn’t make her sound petulant. “What do you want me to do?” 

“Hold this.” The man gave her a plate with something that appeared to be raw liver on it.

“It’s not human. But, if anyone asks, when my least favourite tutor went missing I spent all night reading to my aged mother.” The man gave her a wink and went to the medical equipment set up on a table. “When I flick this switch…” He went to point his finger at a switch, over-reached and prodded a different button. This action caused two tubes full of liquid, clipped on the side of the machine, to empty on to a shallow dish of crystals. The crystals fizzed violently, exploded and the dish shot out of the machine and hit Soolin in the stomach. She let go of the plate. It flew off to the side and she fell back winded. Bellfriar caught her before she hit the floor.

“That wasn’t the right chemical reaction. It shouldn’t have done that.” The man looked back and forth from his machine to where the plate was. He was dithering over what to check first.

“It looked like the right chemistry to me,” said a woman, to Soolin’s side. She gave a knowing glance at Bellfriar with his hands around Soolin’s waist. Embarrassed, Bellfriar set Soolin on her feet. 

Soolin turned round to face him. “You should have kept a hold on me. It takes two to play at couples.” Not to be thwarted she hooked her arm back into his.

The commotion had caught Pheanea's eye. She and her entourage came up to them.

“Ah, Professor Bellfriar, there you are,” said Pheanea.

“Madam Director,” said Bellfriar and inclined his head.

“While it’s regrettable I didn’t have the time to see you yesterday - as we know how attached you are to schedules or your datapad is - there was no need to create a scene to attract my attention. Before we get to business, who is your charming companion?” 

“This is Soolin,” said Bellfriar.

“Good evening, Soolin, I thought the Professor had come alone.”

“He had. I came later.”

“Tut, tut, Bellfriar, forgetting an assistant. I wish you’d forget your dreary deltas.” Pheanea focused on Soolin and didn’t spare Bellfriar a glance.

“I’m not his assistant.”

“No?”

“I’m his partner.”

“Really? From Ohadre?”

“Yes to both.” Soolin’s eyes dared her to suggest otherwise.

“If I had known this is what the unblemished stock on Ohadre looks like I would have signed over the resources you wanted ages ago, Professor. Yet you insisted on showing me pictures of ugly deltas, with their faces half rotted off,” said Pheanea, with an exaggerated sigh. “Well, talk to me and, with Soolin to gaze at, I may approve something. Have you been going out long?”

“It’s early days,” answered Soolin. 

“Not too attached yet? I have a position vacant at my office. I can offer you opportunities at my side you’d never find on Ohadre. I can make it a very enjoyable role, if you please me.” Pheanea’s insinuating tone made it quite clear what she wanted with Soolin.

“You’re very kind, Madam Director.”

“Call me Pheanea.”

“But Ohadre … I’d feel guilty …” said Soolin, faking indecision.

“Of course, I like a girl who hates to disappoint.” Pheanea gave Soolin’s hand a squeeze. 

 

****

Pheanea swept away. Bellfriar grinned at Soolin and she smiled back.

“Let’s have a drink to celebrate,” Soolin suggested.

“You can, if you like, I’m beginning to flag.”

“Are you all right?” What were the after effects of killer viruses? Bellfriar looked drained despite his triumph.

“Nothing major - my medication is wearing off.”

“Oh.” Soolin was unsure what to say.

“It’s for emergencies. I had a dose because I knew it would be a long day today. As long as I don’t run a marathon and chair a meeting at the same time I’m fine. Otherwise the rockets tend to fall off the spaceship.”

“You weren’t lying when you agreed I’d kill you off in bed.”

“I think I’ve been taught a lesson about over exaggerating.”

“I’m not convinced.”

“OK, there’s a fifty-fifty chance you’d kill me.”

“I calculate an eighty percent chance.”

“Eighty! That’s high.”

“For those at the peak of physical fitness I give a seventy percent chance.”

“What about the ones who you walk back to their room? I wouldn’t want you to go without your bracelets. It’s a shame they didn’t match your outfit.”

“Isn’t it?”

****

Soolin and Bellfriar wended their way down a long corridor back to his hotel room. They hadn’t talked on the way back. Soolin put it down to him being tired and what else was there to say? She wanted to convince him to leave the Federation, but she couldn’t think of an argument she hadn’t tried. She would have liked him to join her, them, she corrected herself. If she had her gun and disliked him, she would have disregarded his wishes. There was no arguing with a gun. Others lives counted more than one reluctant professor didn’t they? 

Bellfriar halted outside the door of his room. “Soolin.”

“Yes?” Soolin thought his voice had the air of a confession.

Bellfriar frowned as if he was concentrating hard. “Soolin, I like you and-”

Soolin interrupted him, “The feeling’s mutual.” She kissed him and broke off before he had a chance to respond. That’s brought some colour back into his cheeks, she noted. 

“You’ve derailed my train of thought,” said Bellfriar, momentarily bewildered. “Not that I mind. I assume this means you still want me to teleport to the Liberator?” Soolin didn’t bother to correct his mistake. “I hope I haven’t lost my talent for developing anti-serums.”

“If there’s any information you feel you are lacking ask Orac. Orac’s an advanced computer, beyond Federation technology.”

“If nothing else, I know what to put into a computer to get the best out of it.”

Soolin grinned. “No wonder Blake wants you. Anyone who can give the right questions to Orac is a valuable asset.”

“It’s a complicated device?”

“More … difficult. Orac has the personality of its creator. I’m glad I didn’t meet him. One Orac is plenty.”

“It’s fortunate Orac couldn’t come with you then. The other reason I wanted to take you to the party was to find out what sort of company Blake kept. I found him to be charismatic and I wondered what kind of person that would attract. What I was trying to say in a round about way, before I was interrupted-” He paused to smile at her. “- was that I like one of his group enough to leave my post. Would it be possible to send a message to my colleagues to tell them of our success at the conference?”

“Orac will do it, soon as we teleport aboard.”

“I have a feeling I’m being hurried along.”

“There’s no time for anymore interuptions.”

“Isn’t there?” Bellfriar raised an eyebrow in challenge. 

Soolin smiled. “That’s not what I meant.” She moved closed to him and this time they shared a proper kiss. After the kiss, they went into the hotel room. As soon as the door closed, Dayna stepped out of the bathroom, pointing a gun.

“Don’t shoot!” exclaimed Soolin and jumped in front of Bellfriar.

“I wasn’t,” said Dayna, unruffled. 

Soolin took in Dayna’s appearance. She was wearing some of Bellfriar’s clothes and her hair was damp. 

“Very wise. I’m saving my fire for Vila too.” 

“Shooting’s too good for him, but perhaps we should include our computer expert in our revenge. And what have you been up to? We thought you had run into trouble.”

“It’s my fault - I insisted Soolin go to a party.”

“This is Doctor, now Professor, Bellfriar.”

“At last. Is he coming or not?”

“Yes,” said Soolin.

“Was this decided before or after you went to a party? If you wanted to have fun, you could have said. It would have spared me a swim through sewage.” 

“Soolin couldn’t contact you as her teleport bracelets are in a safe,” explained Bellfriar.

Dayna brightened. “A safe - can I blow it up?”

“That won’t be necessary,” said Bellfriar and opened the safe.

“I had planned to borrow the Professor’s clothes, the same as you,” said Soolin.

“Some people have all the luck,” said Dayna.

“You’re right. I thought I had failed at first, but I’ve ended up with something much better.”

“Really? I wouldn’t have picked out an orange dress if I had your colouring.”

Soolin laughed and took a bracelet off Bellfriar. 

“I guess you’ll tell me what the joke is later,” said Dayna.

“There isn’t one,” said Soolin.

Dayna shook her head and they teleported off Bihaonda.

**Author's Note:**

> Adapted from 'His Untamed Innocent' by Sara Craven:
> 
> Jake Radley-Smith is pleasantly surprised to find a strange female in his company apartment – wearing a bath towel! He isn’t interested in Marin’s sob story…he’s late for a house party and she’ll be perfect as his ready-made date! Marin’s completely bewildered… She thought pretending to be a loving couple would be easy, but the chemistry between her and Jake is explosive! She’s also left in no doubt that what Jake wants, he gets…and it seems he wants her – badly. How can she, inexperienced and nervous, handle his lethal brand of dark desire?


End file.
